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St. Francis students selling Catholic Schools Raffle tickets

Students at St. Francis of the Lakes Catholic School in Brainerd are selling raffle tickets as part of the Catholic Schools Raffle, where $5 gives buyers the opportunity to win a 2017 Jeep Compass (or $20,000 in cash), vacation packages, gadgets or other prizes totaling $40,000 in value.

St. Francis and the other 81 participating schools will keep 100 percent of every $5 ticket sold thanks to raffle sponsor Catholic United Financial. The St. Paul-based company covers the entire cost of the raffle, including prizes, ticket printing and promotional materials.

More than 13,400 students from 82 participating schools in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota will sell tickets through Feb. 26, with the official drawing at 11 a.m. March 9 at Catholic United Financial's Home Office in St. Paul.

In the raffle's seven-year existence, it has helped Catholic schools in the Upper Midwest to raise more than $5 million. Catholic United is hoping to increase the Catholic Schools Raffle grand total to $6 million during this year's six-week selling period. Money raised through this fundraiser has allowed schools like St. Francis to provide tuition assistance, improve technology and pay for special learning opportunities, such as field trips and guest speakers.

Along with the $60,000 in ticket sale revenue it hopes to receive from the raffle, St. Francis has a shot at winning a $3,000 grant from Catholic United if it is one of the top-three performing schools (based on the number of tickets sold per student). The company also awards the top-selling student at each school a Kindle Fire HD 8 and a pizza party to each top classroom.

Raffle updates can be followed on Facebook at facebook.com/catholicschoolsraffle. Ticket holders can watch the drawing ceremony live online at 11 a.m. March 9 at 11 a.m. at www.catholicunited.org/raffle.